Heel-rounding machine



J. A. M NEILL HEEL ROUNDING MACHINE May 27, 1930.

Filed Oct. 10, 192B 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 27, 1930. J. A. M NEILL HEEL ROUNDING MACHINE Filed Oct. 10, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 27, 1930 EJNTED STATES JAMES A. MCNEILL, OF BRADFORD, MASSACHUSETTS HEEL-ROUNDING MACHINE Application filed. October 10, 1928. Serial No. 311,625.

My invention relates to machines for use in making wood heels for boots and shoes.

In the production of a wood heel for boots and shoes several different operations are required to converta rough, more or less rectangular blank into a completely shaped wood heel, and among these operations is that of rounding, or turning as it is sometimes called. Heretofore the machine by which the rounding operation was carried out comprised a pair of rapidly rotating cutter heads and a blank-holding jack pivotally mounted upon a pivotal support, by means of which the wood blank was presented first to onecutter head to shape one side of the block, and then to the other cutter head to shape the opposite side of the block. The jack referred to included a base portion provided with a rigid handle and having a seat on which the wood block was placed, and a movable clamping jaw for holding the wood block on said seatwhile the block was being operated upon by the cutters. This movable clamping jaw was operated to clamp the block in position by means of a screw extending upwardly above the body of the jack and provided at its upper end with a hand wheel. In operating a machine of this kind as heretofore constructed the wood blank was placed in position on the seat, and then the operator manually rotated this screw to force the clamping jaw down firmly on to the top of the wood blank so as to clamp it in position upon its seat. Then, while holding on to the hand wheel with one hand and grasping the handle of the jack with the other, said jack was moved about upon suitable guide rails to present the blank to first one cutter and then the other. As will be obvious, it was necessary for the operator to rotate the screw by means of the hand wheel when removing a finished blank, and to again rotate said screw when placing another blank in position in the jack. Inasmuch as the cutters of machines of this kind are driven at a very high rate of speed in order to produce a smooth surface, it is necessary to clamp the heel blank very securely in position in the jack so that it will not be dislodged by the cutters. Therefore it was necessary for the operator to apply a great deal of force to the hand wheel when clamping a new blank in position.

In wood heel factories the operators of rounding machines are at work continuously throughout the day, and the continual manip ulation of the jaw-operating screw soon blisters the palm of the hand that is used to operate it and said hand soon becomes badly in- I jured or disfigured with open wounds or heavy callouses, which sometimes so disable the operator as to prevent him from continuing at work until his hand has healed.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved heel rounding machine, and particularly to obviate the objectionable feature 5 just referred to which has characterizedcmachines of this class as heretofore constructed.

To these ends I have provided a heel rounding machine constructed with a jack having 7 the peculiar features of construction and mode of operation set forth in the following description, the several novel features of the invention being particularly pointed out and defined in the claims at the close thereof.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away and partly in sect-ion, of a portion of a heel rounding machine constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the jack of d the mechanism shown in Figure 1, showing the same in its open condition.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the jack shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is asection on line H of Fig- 5 ure 3.

Having reference to the drawings, 1 represents a portion of the frame of a heel rounding machine, said frame being provided with bearings within which are mounted two ver- 9c tical shafts 2 and 8 carrying, respectively, cutter heads 4 and 5 at their upper ends. These two shafts 2 and 3 are driven in opposite directions at a high rate of speed through I the usual mechanism, not shown, and are spaced apart as usual. The frame 1 is provided, between the shafts 2 and 3, with a bracket 5 to which the inner end of a link 6 is pivotally connected by means of a pintle 7. I At its outer end the link '6, as usual, is proit) vided with bearings 9, 9 within which the spindle 10 of the jack of the machine is rotatably mounted. At its lower end the spindle 10 has fast on it an arm 48 carrying a hori- Zontally disposed roller 49 that rests upon the usual cam track 8 by which the jack 11 of the machine is moved vertically to control the shaping of the heel by the cutters.

The link 6 is free to swing on the axis of the pintle 7 so as to guide the jack 11 into and out of co-operative relationship with either cutter head 4 or 5 as is usual in machines of this class. V

The jack 11 includesa body 12 pivotally mounted at within a yoke provided at the upper end of spindle 10 and resting, as usual, upon an arouate cam track 13 by means of which it is supported and also swung vertically when, after the jack has been moved into oo-operative relationship with one of the cut- "ters, said jack is swung on the axis of stem 10 to cause the cutter to shape one side and a portion of the back of the heel blank.

The body 12 of my improved jack is pro vided with a rigid arm 14 which is a bracket fastened securely to said body by means of a bolt 15, studs 16 alongside of said arm 14 serving to hold said arm against swinging on bolt 15. A series of holes 17 provided longitudinally of the lower portion of the arm 14 for the reception of the bolt 15, permits of positioning said arm at the desired height to accord with the size or length of heel being made. v

The upper end of the arm 14 overhangs a seat 18 consisting of a hardened plate of metal having a roughened top surface and secured being associated with said seat so as to posi-' tion the wood heel blankproperly thereon.

A finished wood heel is shown at 20 in position upon the seat 18, against which it is firmly clamped by means of a clamp jaw 21 pivotally connected at 22 to the arm 14, and provided upon its top side with an inclined or cam surface 23 which is held against the lower end of a j aw-operating link or member 24 by means of-a spring 25, one end of which is connected with the jaw 21 and the other end with the, arm 1 The upper end of the link 24 is connected by a ball and socket joint 26 with the lower end of a screw 27 that is provided at its upper end with ahandwheel 28 which, as in the case of the hand wheels heretofore provided, is approximately in vertical alignment with the axis of the spindle 10. The lower end of the link 24 is pivotally connected to one end of a connecting rod 29 whose opposite end is pivotally connected at 30 to a lever 31.

The lower portion of the arm 14 is bifurcated and the legs thereof straddle the body 12 of the jack to which they are rigidly fastened by means of the bolt 15. The upper end of lever is positioned within the slot being the heel blank 20 and permitting the spring 25 to raise the clamp jaw 21. When the lever 31 is swung in a direction to shift the member 24 toward the right in Fig. 1, said member acts against the cam surface 23 so as to force tl e clamping jaw 21 downwardly against a heel blank placed on seat 18 with its breast end bearing against gauge 19, thereby securely clamping said heel blank in position.

The parts are preferably so constructed and arranged that when the member 24 is at the limit of its swing toward the right, Fig. 1, the axis of the p votal connection 33,

through which said meml er is connected with the connecting rod 29, is offset slightly toward the right, Fig. 1; that is, it is beyond tnefdead center, so that the strain or tension to which the movable parts are subjected while a heel is held clamped tends to hold said member 24 in its heel-clamping position and there is no tendency for the lever 31 to be displaced on its pivot except toward body 12.. Thus the clamping strain serves to hold the lever 31 against the lower part of bracket 14 which serves as a stop to limit the clamping movement of said lever.

At its lower end the lever 31 is made with a socket 34, herein shown as a circular segment, said socket being provided to receive the hub portion 35 of a handle 36, and said hub portion being shaped as a circular segmental counterpart of the socket 34, into which it is fitted as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The bottom wall 3? of the socket 34 is made with a slot 38 to accommodate the shank of a bolt 39 by means of which the handle 36 tened to the lower end of the lever 31 so that it may be positioned to suit the workman operating the machine.

In producing comparatively high heels,

such as Louis heels, the arm 14 1S positioned relatively high on the body 12, and when producing comparat1vely low heels, such as Pal military or Cuban heels, it occupies a rela tively low position on the body 12. Therefore, since the height of lever 31 varies with this adjustment ofhead 14, it is a desirable feature to provide for angular'adjustment of the handle 36, as described, so that it may be bositioned relatively to the main part of lever 31 Where it is most convenient to the workman in manipulating the lever. Thus, when producing comparatively low heels the handle may be set, for example, in the full line position shown in Fig. 2, and when producing comparatively high heels it may be set in the dotted line position shown at 6.

Since the arm or head 14 is mounted upon the body 12 of the jack, with provision for adjustment vertically so that it, together with the movable jaw 21, can be positioned as may be required by the size of heel to be produced, I find it convenient to construct the lever 31 in two sections comprising a lower bifurcated section 43 carrying the clamping bolts 44 and an upper section 42 fulcruined at 32 upon the arm or head 14. This upper section 42 has its lower end portion made with a longitudinal slot 44 through which the bolts 44 extend, thus providing for adjustment of the length of lever 31 to accord with the position of arm or head 14.

The socket 34 together with the complementary hub 35 of handle 36 provides a pivotal connection between the lower end of lever 31 and the handle, which permits 0t an ular adjustment of said handle as de scribed.

The lever 31 comprises an upper sectioon 42 and a forked or bifurcated lower section 43, the branches or arms of which straddle the upper section 42 to which they are rigidly clamped by means of bolts 44.

The lower section 43 when occupying its lowermost position also straddles or embraces the outer end portion of the body 12 of the ack so that all lateral strains brought to bear upon the lever 32 by the operator while moving the jack about on the rails 13 and 8 are transmit-ted directly to the body 12 from the lower section 43 of the lever, thus relieving the upper section 42 and its pivotal connections 30 and 32 of" these strains. That is to say, when the lever 31 is thrown down into its work-clamping position, as shown at Fig, 1, it is positively and directly interlocked with the body 12 so that there is no lateral relative movement between said body and said lever while the jack is being operated by the workman.

id roni the above description itwill be clear that I have provided a jack mechanism which does not require the operation by the workman of a hand wheel such as has heretofore been required, and at the same time the jack proviced with upper and lower handles '30 n- 3 :1) 110.

36, respectively, by means of which the arm 14 by screws is split provided with a screw 46 by means of which itmay be contracted and thereby clamped rigidly to the screw 27 so that normally the latter is locked against rotative displacement while the machine is being operated. Or, when sired, this screw 46 may be left loose so that the screw 27 is free to be adjusted accord ing to variations in the height of the blanks beingoperated upon. The blanks for high heels like Louis heels vary some in height averaging perhaps an eighth of an inch, and when operating upon blanks for heels of this class it is convenient to leave the screw 46 loose so that it may be adjusted vertically as required in handling each blank, or when the blanks vary in height.

The upper end portion of the spindle 10 is provided with the usual template or cam 4'? co-operating with the usual abutment on the frame, not shown, to position the jack relatively to the cutters while the blank is being operated upon.

The tongue and slot connection through which the lever 31 and body 12 are interlocked when the lever occupies its blankclamping position, is a feature of some importance, since it looks the lever rigidly to the body 12 so as to hold it against any lateral movement relatively thereto, whereas, if the lever 31 is not supported in this fashion, or by equivalentmeans, against lateral displacement, it would soon become loose and worn at its upper end, so that the control of the jack by the workman would be uncertain, and the life of the jack would be shortened.

What I claim is:

1. A. machine of thejcharacter described provided with a jack having, in combination, a vertically disposed and vertically movable pivotal spindle; a jack body pivotally connected with the upper end portion of said spindle and provided with a seat for a heel lank; a blank clamping jaw movably supported by said body in a position above said seat; a jaw-operating hand lever pivotally supported by said body to swing on a horizontal axis and utilized by the operator to move the ack laterally; means through which said lever acts to operate said movable jaw when it is swung manually on its pivot, and means on said body positively engaging the handle end portion of said hand lever when the latter occupies blank clamping position so as to hold said handle end portion against lateral movement relatively to the body when utilized by the operator to move the jack laterally.

, 2. A machine of the character described provided with a jack having, in combination, a vertically disposed and vertically movable pivotal spindle; a jack body pivotally connected with the upper end portion of said spindle and provided with a seat for a heel blank; a blank clamping jaw movably. supported by said body in a position above said seat; a jaw-operating hand lever pivotally supported by said body to swing on a horizontal axis and utilized by the operator to move the jack laterally, said hand lever being made at its free end with a handle that is pivotally connected with the main part of the'lever and angularly adjustable relatively thereto on a horizontal axis, and including means for fixing said handle in its adjusted position; and means through which said lever acts to operate said clamping jaw when it is swung manually on its pivot.

3. A machine of the character described constructed in accordance with claim 2 and wherein said blank clamping jaw, said lever and the means through which said lever acts to operate said clamping jaw are mounted on said body so as to be adjustable vertically toward and from said seat.

LA machine of the character described constructed in accordance with claim 2 and wherein the main portion of said lever is made up of sections and means is provided for fastening said sections together so as, to provide for relative endwise adjustment thereof to vary the length of the lever, and wherein said blank clamping jaw, said lever and the means through which said lever acts to operate said clamping jaw are mounted on said body so as to be adjustable vertically toward and from said seat.

5. A machine of the character described provided with a jack having, in combination, a body and a jaw-operatin g hand lever-that is utilized by the operator to manipulate the jack, one of said parts being made with a socket and the other being provided with means for occupying said socket when said lever occupies clamping position thereby to hold the handle end portion of said lever and said body againstrelative lateral movement.

6. A machine of the character described provided with a ack having, in combination, a vertically disposed and vertically movable pivotal spindle; a jack body pivotally connected with the upper end portion of said spindle and provided with a seat for a heel blank; a blank-clamping jaw movably supported by said body in a position above said seat and made upon its top side with a cam surface; a aw-operating hand lever pivotally mounted directly upon said body and.

posite end of said toggle, said abutment screw being axially. aligned with the axis of said pivotal spindle and provided at its up per end with an operating handle that is also use]? by the operator in manipulating the ac Signed by me at Boston, county of Sufiolk, State of Massachusetts, this 29th day of September, 1928.

JAMES A. MCNEILL. 

